Yes, there’s still a lot of work to be done, but Senators’ owner Eugene Melnyk wore a smile as he left the NCC’s boardroom on Elgin Street just before the lunch hour because he is well aware that getting this project completed is paramount to the future of the organization in this city, and this was a significant step.

In a season where the Senators have had their share of struggles on the ice, this was was a good news story that made everybody in the organization happy.

“I am thrilled to be moving a step closer to bringing fans a more enjoyable experience,” Melnyk said in a statement. “Though there are still many hurdles to overcome, today, we have moved a step closer to realizing a vision for LeBreton Flats — creating a place of pride for residents, the hockey team and visitors.”

With the agreement in place to develop the land in two stages, the RendezVous LeBreton group — led by Melnyk and John Ruddy of Trinity Developments — can now move to the next step of getting the financing in place to begin the building of the major events centre, the hotels/restaurants and condominium space.

Though many have wondered if the financing is going to be an issue for the $3.5-billion project, NCC chief executive officer Mark Kristmanson made a great point as he wrapped up a news conference following the announcement.

“It’s a very strong vision,” Kristmanson said. “We went through a very robust process, if you go back to the War Museum (in January 2016) and saw the lengths that these people went to produce their work.

“I just want people to remember the vision because we get caught up in the details, and the vision is strong. If we all maintain the vision, it can happen and it will happen. It’s going to take a sustained momentum on everyone’s part, but I can’t believe there aren’t investors who won’t want to be part of this. They now have a firm commitment.”

Kristmanson couldn’t have been more correct.

Though people were upset with Melnyk’s comments on Parliament Hill on Dec. 19 about a downtown arena not being a necessity, they have to realize — and Mayor Jim Watson should have thought about this before he reacted — that the organization was still in the middle of trying to negotiate this complicated deal.

The Senators know the importance of this project to their fan base, but in any talks you don’t get a second chance once you sign off on something, and that’s why Melnyk was trying to ensure that he got his group the best deal possible.

Ruddy told reporters the financing wasn’t presented because this deal was only signed off on in December. It took 40 meetings and 120 hours, which means no stone was left unturned. The parties involved here wouldn’t proceed if they didn’t think it was going to come to be a success.

“It’s very (significant),” said Ruddy. “It’s one hurdle that we’ve overcome but, indeed, a very important one. We have an agreement with the NCC and it allows us now to move forward to get our master agreement with all the government.”

Of course, this deal is about more than just a hockey arena, but let’s face it: That’s the centrepiece for the people of Ottawa, who have been making the trek to the Canadian Tire Centre since it opened in Kanata in 1996.

“LeBreton Flats will be one of the greatest developments ever undertaken in the capital region,” Melnyk said. “It will make us all proud. In fact It’ll have a state-of-the-art entertainment centre, which will house the Ottawa Senators hockey club and all of its wonderful fans.

“Hockey players will tell you that with a fan base screaming and yelling behind them, they do have that seventh man.”

It might seem a long way off, but the RendesVouz LeBreton group can now see the finish line in this massive project with the decision by the NCC’s board to approve this move to the next step.

The NCC noted they’d had 40 meetings that took up more than 120 hours with RendezVous representatives to get to this point. That doesn’t account for the countless hours the group has spent internally to get the bid to the point where everybody can stomach the process.

The Senators aren’t going to compete for a Stanley Cup this spring, but the organization scored a pretty big victory for its future Thursday.

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